Packers releasing Jimmy Graham tomorrow

[PackAttack12]

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Hardly comes as a surprise, but it is now confirmed. Let the chips fall where they may.

 

[Favre>Rodgers259]

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Hardly comes as a surprise, but it is now confirmed. Let the chips fall where they may.

He'll probably either return to New Orleans or go to Miami and post a 70-765-9 stat line. #DomePlayer

 

[GleefulGary]

Dude just isn't athletic anymore. He lost the juice.

 

[Curly Calhoun]

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Hardly comes as a surprise, but it is now confirmed. Let the chips fall where they may.

He may get a shot somewhere, but it appears his best days are likely behind him. Ala Jordy Nelson, Clay Matthews, Josh Sitton, etc.

I wish him all the best. He had a wonderful career.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Dude just isn't athletic anymore. He lost the juice.

Yeah. If he wants to play, someone will grab him. NOT at $10 mil/year. Seems like he still wants to play.

 

[Heyjoe4]

He'll probably either return to New Orleans or go to Miami and post a 70-765-9 stat line. #DomePlayer

I’m not so sure NO would want him. Miami? Different story.

 

[HardRightEdge]

If so, that's earlier than necessary, perhaps much earlier if not needed to stay under the Top 51 cap come the start of the league year. It's nice of the Packers, I suppose, to give him a head start in finding another team.

Two year cost for Jimmy Graham: $22.25 mil

He'll land a job somewhere if he's willing to play for sharply reduced pay. If not, he'll retire.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

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Hardly comes as a surprise, but it is now confirmed. Let the chips fall where they may.

The move is a no-brainer.

 

[Mondio]

The move is a no-brainer.

probably why I knew it was going to happen eventually. Might be the only thing I get right this year.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Dude just isn't athletic anymore. He lost the juice.

This is just my opinion, but I was excited when he got signed. He was coming off (I think) a very good year with the Hags.

But it was obvious year 1 he just didn’t have it anymore. Along with probably a lot of others, I was hoping Gluten would have cut him last year. He didn’t, and Graham’s declining play was obvious. And don’t get me started about signing Bennett (even though I thought that was a good idea at the time.....).

It was a sad day when TT decided to cut Jared Cook. He performed well for GB, he went on to perform well for Oakland and then NO, and I think he would have cost somewhere around $3, maybe $4 million. That looks like a bargain compared to Bennett’s $8 mil for half a season, and Graham’s $20 mil for two pretty bad years.

OK I got that off my chest. I haven’t given up how important TE is to an offense. Maybe Gluten lands FA Hooper - he’s 26, I think, and coming into his prime. He won’t be cheap, but the good ones never are (well, until they aren’t).

But I’m a little torn. Gluten can probably afford only one big time FA. Hooper would be one, but so would ILB Corey Littleton. Well, I guess that’s why they pay Gluten the big bucks, to make those decisions.

 

[Heyjoe4]

The move is a no-brainer.

That’s for sure. I actually thought it was a no brainer last year.....

I’m interested in your opinion on this. IF Gluten can only afford one marquee FA, would you take Hooper, or ILB Littleton (or someone else)? I think the remaining holes on D can be improved with better coaching and above average players (not superstars) next to Clark (to improve the run D). So I’d pick Hooper, and fill the holes on D in the draft, or with less expensive FAs. Thoughts?

 

[mradtke66]

It was a sad day when TT decided to cut Jared Cook.

This is incredibly inaccurate. You and other like you need to remember what actually happened.

1. Cook was signed to a 1 year contract. He could not be cut because he as a free agent.
2. The Packers attempted to re-sign him and offered him a pretty good contract.
3. Either Cook or his agent responded, "Naw, he's worth more." (Exactly who said this is up in the air. Suggestions are that this was the Agent and Cook was pissed, firing him as a result.)
4. TT lands Bennett and Kendricks for roughly the same price as his initial offer to Cook
5. Amusingly, Cook signs elsewhere for LESS than TT's initial offer.

Who screwed up? Cook. Not TT, not the Packers.

Sorry in advanced if this sounds grump....re-reading it, that's the tone coming across, but it is not my intention.

 

[Heyjoe4]

probably why I knew it was going to happen eventually. Might be the only thing I get right this year.

Yeah trying to figure out how FA and the draft plays out is no more than an educated (or gut) guess at this point.

 

[Heyjoe4]

This is incredibly inaccurate. You and other like you need to remember what actually happened.

1. Cook was signed to a 1 year contract. He could not be cut because he as a free agent.
2. The Packers attempted to re-sign him and offered him a pretty good contract.
3. Either Cook or his agent responded, "Naw, he's worth more." (Exactly who said this is up in the air. Suggestions are that this was the Agent and Cook was pissed, firing him as a result.)
4. TT lands Bennett and Kendricks for roughly the same price as his initial offer to Cook
5. Amusingly, Cook signs elsewhere for LESS than TT's initial offer.

Who screwed up? Cook. Not TT, not the Packers.

Sorry in advanced if this sounds grump....re-reading it, that's the tone coming across, but it is not my intention.

No you’re not being grumpy, just expressing an opinion like the rest of us. I did NOT know that Cook signed for less that TT’s original offer. Thanks for that info. Sometimes agents do more harm than good. The factoid that TT signed Bennett and Kendricks for the same offer to Cook is just downright painful.

Anyway, thanks for setting the record straight.

 

[AmishMafia]

No you’re not being grumpy, just expressing an opinion like the rest of us. I did NOT know that Cook signed for less that TT’s original offer. Thanks for that info. Sometimes agents do more harm than good. The factoid that TT signed Bennett and Kendricks for the same offer to Cook is just downright painful.

Anyway, thanks for setting the record straight.

I don't think you understand how this internet forum thing works.

You arent supposed to learn anything. Just keep repeating your original opinion and ignore any contrary ideas or information.

 

[Heyjoe4]

I don't think you understand how this internet forum thing works.

You arent supposed to learn anything. Just keep repeating your original opinion and ignore any contrary ideas or information.

OK that made me LOL. I know, most disagreements result in both sides digging in, regardless of facts, and staying put - resulting in endless arguments that go nowhere. I don’t want to be a part of that.

That day I stop learning is the day I shrug off this mortal coil.

Thanks for the laugh.

 

[morango]

I don't think you understand how this internet forum thing works.

You arent supposed to learn anything. Just keep repeating your original opinion and ignore any contrary ideas or information.

Brandon? Brandon?

Anyone?

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

He'll land a job somewhere if he's willing to play for sharply reduced pay. If not, he'll retire.

Feels like he retired 2 years ago, right after he signed the massive deal with the Packers.

 

[OldSchool101]

It’s too bad he didn’t live up to $10M type expectations. I don’t really think we ever got more than a $5M production TE with Graham. He seemed like a fish out of water for much of his stay. It also didn’t help we changed Offensive schemes mid stream.

Nothing personal as I wish him the best wherever he lands. I’m just really glad it’s not here. I couldn’t be more pleased while losing a starting TE

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I’m interested in your opinion on this. IF Gluten can only afford one marquee FA, would you take Hooper, or ILB Littleton (or someone else)? I think the remaining holes on D can be improved with better coaching and above average players (not superstars) next to Clark (to improve the run D). So I’d pick Hooper, and fill the holes on D in the draft, or with less expensive FAs. Thoughts?

The Packers could sign a marquee free agent at both inside linebacker and tight end this offseason by backloading those contracts. With Rodgers getting up their in age it might be time for Gutekunst to kind of mortgage the future to win now.

 

[HardRightEdge]

Feels like he retired 2 years ago, right after he signed the massive deal with the Packers.

I don't think that's very fair. I didn't detect any lack of effort.

Age was a factor. I would also not underestimate how his elite performance in New Orleans was the happy accident of a certain skill set meeting a system and a quarterback that played to strengths and away from weaknesses.

 

[Mondio]

at 5 million per Graham would have been a nice signing at 10+ per, not so much.

 

[HardRightEdge]

The Packers could sign a marquee free agent at both inside linebacker and tight end this offseason by backloading those contracts. With Rodgers getting up their in age it might be time for Gutekunst to kind of mortgage the future to win now.

They don't need to be especially backloaded if those are the only things of particular note that they do.

When you start considering all of the other moving parts of lesser or greater note then it becomes an issue. Passing on Bulaga, letting Clark play on the 5th. year option, not extending any of next years free agents would be the larger issues. Crosby-like or lesser signings start to add up.

Anyway, I doubt they're going go spring for a high ticket ILB, Littleton or anybody else. Bringing in Kirksey for a look see I would take as a tell, Gutekunst looking for a moneyball move in a player unfairly discounted by his injury history. I imagine his medicals will be the main focus of the evaluation given his hamstring (2018) and seaon ending pectoral (2019) injuries. They may not like what they see in Kirksey when they get down to brass tacks, but it is an indication of where they would prefer to go, a vet to call the signals paired with a rookie without spending much cap (but perhaps a Day 1 or 2 pick) at the position.

Going all-in for one season rarely works out. Acting blind to what comes next amounts to a wing and prayer. And when it does not work out there is high price to pay.

Either you have to rebuild (last year's FA haul) or you have a winning core you are looking to compliment, but manufacturing a winner by spending to the hilt in free agency with backloaded contracts or trading away a bunch of future high picks for stars is a mugs game. The Packers are in a pretty good place with big strides forward last season.

A lot depends on what the revenue projections are for 2021 and beyond. If a big cap jump is expected staring next year with the CBA and LA and Las Vegas stadium completions, something about which we have little to no visibility, it could look like all-in when in fact it is not until we get further down the road.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

at 5 million per Graham would have been a nice signing at 10+ per, not so much.

I think if Graham doesn't hang em' up, that is about the number you will see a team willing to sign him for. My "already retired" comment was a bit tongue in cheek, we did get effort and some production from Graham, but as most know, not anywhere near what we paid for. That might be on the Packers for signing him for that amount, more than it should be put on Jimmy for not playing up to it.

 

[Heyjoe4]

He'll probably either return to New Orleans or go to Miami and post a 70-765-9 stat line. #DomePlayer

Yeah it’s like selling an under performing stock. The day after you sell it it goes up by 25%......